Ski



Feb. 4, 1941. H. L. DAVISSON 2,230,235

SKI

Filed latch 22. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l milt'z: 1 I 15 20 2] \NVENTOR 3BY mNEY;

Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKI Henry LawrcnceDavisson, Orange, N. J. Application March 22, 1938, Serial No. 197,322

Claims.

This invention relates to skis and more partrating theposition of theski in dotted line positicularly to a convertible ski assembly. a

A general object of the invention is to provide such a device which iseconomical of manufac- 5 ture, sturdy and durable of construction andreadily convertible to other forms of ski conveyances with ease andfacility.

A'specific object ofthe invention is to provide a ski assembly whichnormally can be used as an ordinary pair of skis but in case of accidentor emergency readily can be dismantled and converted into an emergencyconveyance.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide such a skiassembly in which essenl5 tially all of the necessary equipment foreffecting such conversion is carried by the skis when in normal use asordinary skis.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device cooperativelyassociated with the ski in 20. a manner which, upon slight adjustment,will check the skiing function of the skis and readily permit walking,particularly up inclinedsurfaces.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

25. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or 80 shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had 35 to the following detailed description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings; in which Fig. 1 is a sideedge elevational view of a preferred form of the invention illustratinga ski 40 assembled for normal skiing use.

Fig. 2 is a plan'view of a preferredform of the invention illustratingthe ski of Fig. 1 which has been dismantled and reassembled for use as aconveyance. i

3 is a plan view of a cover shown partly broken away and which ispreferably stretched across the upper face of the conveyance.

Fig. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view through a ski portionpartly broken away illus- 50 trating a preferred form of an adjustable,ski cleat when not in use.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the position of thecleat when adjusted for use.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modified form.

tion.

Fig. 'I is a view similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the cleat adjusted tooperating position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 6 there is shown generallyat ill in Fig. 1 a ski assembled for normal or ordinary use'whichconsists'of at least two ski laminations of which the upper one li maybe said to be the main ski and the lower one I2 the auxiliary ski.Secured to 10 the upper ski by nuts and bolts, or in any other suitablemanner, is an end brace i3 and the usual foot tread ll (harness notshown). These same bolts, together with others, securely hold togetherthe ski sections II and I2.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated the skijassembly shown in Fig. 1dismantled and reassembled to be used in the form of a conveyance andillustrating the manner in which the end braces I3 are secured to thegroup of skis to keep them rigid and in proper alignment. It will benoted that there are but two end braces and that in each case the upperski member or lamination ll carries one of them.

The purpose in building the skis in two layers (although as many as canconveniently be used are permissible) is to aid any member of a skipatrol or any one of a party to use them as ordinary skis and, in theevent of an accident or emergency, remove them from his feet and convertthem into an ambulance in which event he removes the skis from theinjured party and uses them for himself to carry on.

Thecover illustrated in Fig. 3 is preferably made, of canvas or otherflexible material which preferably may be carried by, the skier on hisknapsack. It is stretched across the surface of the group of skis andbeing'equipped with suitable eyelets and cross strip is secured in placeby the ski bolts and is preferably clamped between the 4 skis and theend braces.

A particular feature of the invention is the fact that the skis areassembled in the form of a single pair of ordinary skis but they'arereadily convertible into a different type of conveyance with out theaddition of any devices or contrivances other than those -"whichnormally cons'titutethe assembly of each ski. In other wordssubstantially all of the equipment for this emergency conveyance iscarried by the main ski itself.

Another feature of the invention, particularly when the skis are used assuch is the adjustable ski cleat illustrated generally at I! (see Fig.4). It is well known to those skilled in the art that each ski must beequipped with a ski groove in 55 videdwith a groove 20 which is inalignment.

with the ski groove of the ski when the cleat is held in the positionshown. When the skier de-, cides however to ascendan incline the wingnutis loosened, the cleat is pushed below the 'bottom surface of the skiand given a quarter turn as illustrated in Fig. 5 where it is securelyheld by proper fastening of the wing nut l9. It will be noted that theshank of the screw I8 passes through an opening in a rectangularlyshaped plate 2l which is so fitted to the screwll that: it moves with itthrough the recess in the ski and when the cleat adjusted to grippingposition the rectangularly shaped element which is the same in surfacearea as that of the cleat takes alpositionIfiush with the bottom surfaceof the ski. With this construction the recessiskept' clear of snow andice or other obstructions which might otherwise impedethe properfunctioning of theski cleatwhen thrown back into the positionillustrated in Fig. 4. In order to increase the durability and rigidityof the ski cleat construction at this point of the, ski a metallic plate22 is fitted across that portion ofthe upper surface of the ski whichcovers the recess, and which is also better fitted to absorb thepressure of the wing ut. vThe cleat itself is preferably also made ofmetal asfor example brass, aluminum or the like. I

Another simple form of cleat is that illustrated in' Fig. 6., Thiscomprises a cylindrical form of'cleat H6 similarly fitted into a'recessin theski and also having a groove 20!! which is in' alignment with theski groove when in normal use for skiing.- In order to cause this cleatto function it is but necessary to give the screw 8 a quarter turn sothat the ski groove 200 of the cleat assumes a position at right anglesIn this manner the ski groove is obstructed so that skiing ispreto theski groove 20I of the ski.

vented and walking up inclines is readily accomplished. The location ofthe ski cleat and ad- 1 justing means is at any point between the skipoint a'ndski tread of the wearer or wherever 1 it is most convenientlyreached.

' As heretofore pointed out the object of the 1 ski assembly is wellsuited foremergency use 1 by a member of the ski patrol but'obviouslyneed 1 at once be obvious that there are many advantages and uses towhich the present invention may be put. For example, the skis whenfastened to- 1 gethe'r as an ambulatory ski conveyance'can also be usedas a sled for transporting heavy loads or large game such as bear ordeer; it may also be used as a toboggan by placing hand ropes;

, of said ski when said 3 alignment.

along the sides and a cushion running the full length of the skis. Itmay be equipped with loops or rings fastened to the skis at one or moreplaces for use as a connection for tow-poles,tow-

ropes or for holding a, rope in position. Another advantage and use towhichthe ski assembly may be put is in. aquaplaning-overwater abaft afast motorboat. A furtheradvantage and use is that half of each ski canbe removed or one ski alone may be used to perform the normal andordinary functions of skiing, and, also the auxiliary ski may beslightly scored or grooved at intervals so that if necessary they canreadily be split or broken at predetermined places and used as splintsshould an-emergency or need therefor arise.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without, depart ingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter-contained in theabove description -01. shown in the accompanying drawing shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to.cover all of, the generic and specific features of the inventionherein-dc. scribed, and all statements of the scope of the, inventionwhich, as a matter of languagej'might be said to fall therebetween;

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure'byLetters Patent is: l.. A toboggan or the like'comprising,incombination, a group of at least four skis' spaced in substantiallyparallelv relationship, means forsecuringsaid skis in said position andmeans adapted to secure said skis into paired position to form at leastone single pair for normal skiing use.

2. A ski assembly comprising, in combination,

a pair ofskis each having at least one lamina tion and means, which whendisassembled from the skis are adapted to so interconnect saidv skis asto produce a unitary conveyance of another kind, said means beingcarried .by said skis when normally used. r

3. A ski assembly, comprising,- in combination,

a pair of skis, said skis having'an auxiliary'ski I and means,demountably attached thereto which when disassem bledfr'om the skis areadapted to so interconnectsaid skis as to. produceanemergencyconveyance, said means said skis when normally used. k a

4. A ski assembly comprising, in combination, a pair of skis, said skishavingdemountably attached thereto auxiliary skis and bracing means,

, which'when otherwise 'assembledare adapted to k f so interconnect saidskis as to form a toboggan, not be limited to this'particular usage. Itwill with adjustable. means carried by said ski and having an aligninggroove, said means being 5. The combination of ash having a. grooveadapted to impede the normal'skiingfunction HENRY LAWRENCEDA'VVISSON.

being carried by grooves are moved outof

